Brazil’s cement sales up 2% in November

Cement sales in the Brazilian market between January and November 2018 totalled 48.7Mt, representing a 1.2 per cent fall YoY, according to the National Union of the Cement Industry (SNIC). Apparent consumption of cement, which includes domestic sales plus imports, slipped 1.5 per cent YoY to 49Mt.

In addition, Brazil’s cement producers exported 78,000t of cement during 11M18, up 5.4 per cent when compared with 11M17, when 74,000t were exported.

In November 2018 alone, 4.545Mt of cement was sold in the domestic market, up 1.7 per cent when compared with 4.469Mt sold in November 2017.

In terms of exports, these showed a 16.7 per cent YoY increase as 7000t of cement was delivered to customers outside Brazil in November.

Economic indicators have improved at the end of the year and indicate growth for 2019, according to SNIC.

"Both the number of launches and sales of residential units has been increasing in several regions of the country. Real estate stocks are also falling, which leaves the market more optimistic for new launches and, consequently, warms the construction industry, which has a direct impact on the cement industry, "says SNIC President, Paulo Camillo Penna. He expects cement consumption to grow by close to 30 per cent in 2019, after four consecutive years of decline.